Wrench



A. PERSINGER.

Feb. '13, 1923.

WRENCH.

FILED JAN. 20. 1922.

Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

sa dine ASHBY EERSINGER, 0F SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

'WI-tENCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that i. Asn'er Pnnsinenn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield,

in the county oi Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in iVrenches, of which the'tollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to new and useful improven'ients in wrenches andmore particularly to the quick adjustable type.

An important object of the invention is to provide a wrench having amovable aw in which is incorporated a movable looking element adaptedfor cooperation with the rack teeth of the stationary jaw, said lockingelement being so mounted as to only necessitate a slight movement inorder to effect adjustments or the wrench.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wrench of thischaracter which consists of the minimum number of parts and includessimple and inexpensive means for concealing the locking element andprotecting the same from grit and other foreign matter which mightotherwise gain access thereto.

Other objects and advantages of: the invention Will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application andwherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a section through the movable jaw of the wrench.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the wrench taken on the line 33 oi?Figure 2. Figure 4 is a vertical section through the same at rightangles to the section 3-3 on the lines H of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein for the purposeof illustration is shown the preferred embodiments of my invention, thenumeral 5 designates the handle and shank of the wrench. the inner edgeof which is equipped with a plu rality of rack teeth 6. One end of theshank is equipped with a stationary jaw 7 in the well known manner.

The movable jaw of the'wrench is designated by the numeral 8 andconsists of a casting having an opening 9 therethrough whereby themovable jaw is slidably mounted upon the shank 5. The movable jaw isalso provided with a cut out portion l0 extending 'from the opening 9through an end wall of the jaw and which is arranged at right angles tothe opening 9 and communicates at its inner end therewith. The top andbottom of the recess formed by the cut out portion .10 is each equippedwith a longitudinally extended recess 11 which extends at right anglesto the opening 9. j

A locking element or block 12 has its top and bottom each provided withan outwardly extending rib13, which ribs are adapted for slidingassociation with the grooves 11 in the stationary aw. The inner edge ofthe loz-king elements is equipped with a plurality oi rack teeth adaptedfor cooperation with those oi? the shank 5. This locking element isprevented from displacement from the cut out port-ion 10 by means ot aLl-shapcd plate 14, the arms of which are adapted to snugly fit againstopposite sides of the stationary jaw and be riveted thereto by means ofrivets 15. The bridging portion oil this ll-shaped plate is adapted tofit snugly against the outer end of the recess formed by the cutoutportion in the movable jaw as clearly seen in Figures 2 and -Each ofthese arms is provided with an elongated slot 16 and these slots areadapted for the reception of pins 17 extending laterally from oppositesides of the locking element 12. In order that the looking element benormally retained in cooperation with the rack teeth of the shank, acoiled spring 18 is interposed between the locking element and thearched portion of the U-shaped plate 14, it being retained in its properposition by one end thereof fitting in a recess in the end of a lockingelement. As seen in Fig. 3 the sides of the locking ele ment are spacedfrom the arms of the U- shaped plate and are retained in suchrelationship by reason of the ribs 13 oi the locking elementco-operating with the grooves 11 in the top and bottom "of the cut outportion 10. Due to this nrrangen'ient it will be seen that quite a bitof friction will be eliminated since the sides of the locking elementare not permitted to .rub against the arms of the tl-shaped plate.

in operation, when an adjustment is to be made by moving the movable jaw8 of the wrencln the thumb and forefinger are engaged with the pins 17of the locking element 12 which pins project slightly beyond theexterior surfaces of the arms of the covering plate let so that thelocking. element may be moved to disengage the rack teeth 6. The movablejaw may then be moved freely along the shank of the wrench to reach thedesired adjustment. After this the locking element is released so thatthe expansion of the coiled spring 18 forces it inwardly into engagementwith the rack teeth of the shank to lock the movable jaw in 'iosition.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawin s have reference towhat might be consi ered to be the approved or preferred term of myinvention. I desire it to be understood that I may make such changes inthe construction, combination and arrangement of parts material,dimensions, etc, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of theappended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

A. quick adjustable wrench comprising a shank having a stationary jawand rack teeth along one edge thereof, a movable jaw having an openingtherethrough for sliding engagement with said shank said movable jawbeing provided with a cut out portion extending from the opening thereinthrough the exterior-wall thereot a locking element mounted in said outout portion and having means for co-operation with the rack teeth of theshank, a U-shaped covering plate for the cut out portion having its armssecurely fastened to opposite faces of the movable jaw and. its bridgingportion spanning the outer open end of said out out portion, a

disposed between the locking ele- 1 and the bridging portion of thecovplate and abutting said bridging portion to normally urge the lockingelement toward the rackteeth of the shank, and means extending from thelocking element whereby the same can be operated exteriorly of themovable jaw.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ASHBY PERSINGER.

Witnesses CHARLES W JENKINS, V. A. BELL.

